Canadiens Lose Rematch With Canes

They gave it the old college try I suppose. But one night after demolishing the Hurricanes in Quebec City, the Habs return to the friendly confines of the Bell Centre, hit some posts from time to time, don’t show an overabundance of oomph, and it becomes three exhibition losses in four games after dropping a 3-1 contest to the Canes.

But it’s still only preseason so there’s to be no judging or whining from me. I’m taking it easy, like I just had a session with the Maharishi.

We won’t see the real team until the dust settles. Until prospects pack up. Until set lines and set defence pairings are in place.

And hopefully we won’t see any more 0-8s on the power play.

Jarred Tinordi laid the body on a few times tonight and dropped the gloves, and it’s this sort of thing that’s going to earn him a true spot in the lineup where he can relax and rent a nice condo in Old Montreal and become a solid mainstay on the Habs blueline for many years. He hits hard, he does it well, and with him and Alexei Emelin in the lineup, along with some bone crushing from P.K., we have a team that punishes and it becomes a massive step on the way to a strong and dynamic team.

Up front, when you see Ryan White jawing and smiling and such, do you get the feeling this is a guy who will serve up another year’s worth of stupid penalties to put us behind the eight ball on way too many occasions? I find his act wearing thin.

Carey Price played the full game and I thought he looked good. He didn’t seem shaky and he shouldn’t considering he’s the number one guy, a veteran now, and if he’s shaky, we’re in big trouble.

Although it remains to be seen. He’s already been shaky this preseason. So we keep our fingers crossed.

Michael Bournival scored the lone goal for the Habs, his fourth in this preseason, and how can you send a guy down when he’s your leading scorer? Bournival is forcing his way into a regular spot and that’s how it works.

The Canadiens weren’t sure about Henri Richard when he reported to his first camp, but when Henri owned the puck in training camp and no one could take it away from him, he won the job and the rest is history.

Eleven Stanley Cups kind of history.

Random Notes:

Montreal outshot Carolina 42-27.

Next up – Monday, when New Jersey is in town.

Two more after that, a home and home with Ottawa on Wednesday and Thursday, and then we can say goodbye to all this preseason stuff and get on with the nitty-gritty.

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2 thoughts on “Canadiens Lose Rematch With Canes”

Emelin was skating at Brossard and a guy from RDS was saying he might be back in December.
Tinord, Emelin, PK and Murray are all capable of making bone-crushing hits. Habs are going to have a very physical defense once everyone is healthy.